1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to anthracycline antitumor glycosides which are daunorubicin and doxorubicin analogues, methods for their preparation, compositions containing same and the use thereof as well as certain novel intermediates used in their preparation.
2. The Prior Art
Daunorubicin (daunomycin) and doxorubicin (adriamycin) are both well known anthracycline antitumor glycosides, and both their preparation and use are amply described in the prior art. Some of the compounds which are prepared by the process of the invention are known. Thus, 11-O-methyl-daunorubicin (VI) and 11-O-methyl-doxorubicin (VII) are disclosed in Belgian Pat. No. 864,336. One of the starting materials for the process of the invention, namely, 11-deoxy-daunorubicin (XVI) is a natural anthracycline, and is described in British application No. 7903901. Finally, a starting material for another aspect of the invention, namely N-trifluoroacetyl-daunorubicin (XI) is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,803,124.